Lowe out to reclaim NRL spot

COWBOYS back-rower Ethan Lowe is adamant he still has plenty to offer the club as he looks to reclaim his place in the NRL squad this season.

The rise of hulking forward Coen Hess saw Lowe relegated to the bench last year before he was dropped from the NRL side altogether as they struggled for consistency in the middle of the season.

The 27-year-old played nine games for the Northern Pride in the Queensland Cup which helped him rediscover his form as he finished the season coming off the bench for the Cowboys.

Lowe admitted his axing from the first-grade squad had been a humbling experience after being the starting backrower in two grand finals in three seasons.

But he said he was still determined to play more football for the Cowboys after taking up an option in his favour for a one-year contract extension.

"It was definitely disappointing going from the grand final the year before to not playing a lot of first grade, but I'm here to try and get back to playing regular first grade," Lowe said.

"I've just got to keep working hard here at training and try and fix all the little things that need improvement and go from there."

Lowe wasn't the only Cowboy who struggled with his form last season as they missed the finals for the first time since 2010, but he said they were working hard to address those issues ahead of their first trial game against the Titans on the Sunshine Coast on February 23.

"I think as a whole defensively we weren't great last year so that's a big focus for us this year," Lowe said.

"It's been a tough preseason, but we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel now and can't wait to start trial games."